OfferBackedBuyer Tools
Step 1 · Thinking about buying

Where are towns like the one I love?

Enter a town you like, or the one you’re leaving, and find the places most like it: similar incomes, home prices, commute, age of homes and more. Look nearby, in other states or only where homes cost less.

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Towns most like Lutz, FL 33558

Lutz: median income $116,090, home value $520,500, $239/sq ft, 30-minute commute.

TownSimilarMiles awayMedian incomeHome value$/sq ftWhat’s different
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 93%877$124,189$420,000$231 cheaper homes ($101K less)
Midlothian, VA 23114 93%704$112,738$409,100$220 cheaper homes ($111K less) · smaller
Mooresville, NC 28117 93%523$112,976$615,200$257 pricier homes ($95K more)
Raleigh, NC 27614 91%584$128,834$577,400$231 pricier homes ($57K more)
Matthews, NC 28105 91%493$108,190$430,800$234 cheaper homes ($90K less)
Fort Mill, SC 29708 91%485$132,018$515,200$226 Very close on everything we compare
Peachtree City, GA 30269 91%382$113,807$481,500$238 cheaper homes ($39K less)
Birmingham, AL 35242 91%439$117,047$477,700$198 cheaper homes ($43K less) · larger
Castle Rock, CO 80104 91%1,493$134,335$624,200$222 pricier homes ($104K more)
Kennesaw, GA 30152 90%423$126,578$427,500$191 cheaper homes ($93K less)
Boerne, TX 78006 90%984$116,156$543,900$229 more single-family homes
Yorktown, VA 23693 89%713$124,433$488,400$225 cheaper homes ($32K less) · 8 min shorter commute
Hillsborough, NC 27278 89%583$105,887$414,100$235 cheaper homes ($106K less)
Charlotte, NC 28278 89%496$125,470$460,600$207 cheaper homes ($60K less)
Charleston, SC 29414 89%355$99,529$417,300$258 cheaper homes ($103K less)
Fort Mill, SC 29715 89%483$109,689$448,100$225 cheaper homes ($72K less)
Smyrna, GA 30082 89%413$120,372$438,700$200 cheaper homes ($82K less)
Duluth, GA 30097 89%417$124,890$625,100$217 pricier homes ($105K more)
Birmingham, AL 35244 89%441$113,450$412,000$176 cheaper homes ($109K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Louisville, KY 40245 89%720$122,948$445,300$182 cheaper homes ($75K less) · 5 min shorter commute
Canton, MI 48188 89%979$122,781$384,700$192 cheaper homes ($136K less)
Hudson, WI 54016 89%1,292$113,085$452,000$224 cheaper homes ($69K less)
Harleysville, PA 19438 88%930$138,134$480,300$246 cheaper homes ($40K less) · older homes
Suffolk, VA 23435 88%697$111,700$394,500$215 cheaper homes ($126K less)
Huntersville, NC 28078 88%510$120,831$473,900$221 cheaper homes ($47K less) · larger

Similarity compares income, home value, price per sq ft, population, age, commute, education, walkability, owner share, single-family share and age of homes. Click a town to see its housing market. Set your own criteria with the town finder.

Finding towns like the one you love

Maybe you grew up somewhere you loved and want something like it closer to a new job. Maybe the town you want is out of reach and you’re looking for a cheaper version of it. Or you’re moving across the country and want to know which places will feel familiar. This tool starts from a town you know and finds the places most like it.

How we measure similarity

We compare eleven things for every ZIP code: median household income, median home value, price per square foot from recent sales, population, median age, average commute, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree, walkability, the share of homes that are owner-occupied, the share that are single-family homes, and the median year homes were built. Income and home values count most, because they shape what a place costs and feels like day to day.

Each trait is put on the same scale, so a $50,000 difference in home value and a five-minute difference in commute can be compared fairly. The result is a similarity score: towns in the 90s are close matches on nearly everything, and scores in the 70s are similar with a few clear differences. For each match we list the biggest differences, like cheaper homes, a longer commute or more single-family homes.

Where to look

  • Anywhere shows the closest matches nationwide.
  • Same state or other states keeps the search where you need it.
  • Within a distance finds alternatives near a town you’re priced out of.
  • At least a distance away finds the same kind of place somewhere new.

Tick “only towns where homes cost less” to find more affordable versions of the place you like.

What it can’t tell you

Numbers can’t capture everything that makes a place feel like home: a walkable downtown, the schools, the views or the people. Use the matches as a short list, then visit. Click any town to see its housing market, including how competitive it is and how fast homes are selling.